Shield for hot air registers or the like



Aug. 8, 1933. w. A. wlEsMAN 1,921,305

SHIELD FOR HOT AIR REGISTERS OR THE LIKE Filed April 27, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MTTTFTVW I T-:QE

his ATTORNEY Aug. 8, 1933. w. A. wlEsMAN SHIELD FOR HOT AIR REGISTERS OR THE LIKE 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 27 Patented `"8, Y 191:33`

f l v 1,921,305l i f SHIELD FOR HOT AIR REGIsTERSfOR THE .William A. Wiesman, Dayton, Ohio,v assigner of one-half to Ralph F. Behringer, Dayton, Ohio Application April 27, 19,31. Serial No. .533,011 .so o1aims. c1.os-1osy 'This invention relates to a shield for a hot air register or the lilregand one object of.V the linvention is to provide suche shield which may bemoved to apositionin which it will serve as Y aclosure or ut-ofi to prevent the passage Vof hot air through vthe register.

, A further object of the Vinvention is to provide such a device inwhich `the shield, when in the position to serve as' a cut-off, will eX- tend substantially parallel with the grillevof. the register in a position close thereto. Y

A further object of the invention is topro-l vide such a device with a flexible shait having means Vto support thesarne in an upwardly'and forwardly curved posi-tion above the grillebor in a position below the grille where it will'serve asa cut-olf.

A further object vof the inventionis'fto pro'-v v-ide suche device with means controlled by the movements of the shieldvtc lelo-se the spaces between the'sides of theshieldand'th@ grille, a

Av further object ofthe invention is toprovide such la device,lwithrneansy for controlling the movements ofthe shield and retaining thesame in adjusted positionsi). i i N Otherobjects ofthe invention will appear as the device is described 'indetailV f.

In'the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is' a top plan view of a hot air register embodying'my invention, partly broken away; Fig. 2 isga longie tudinal sectional view takenfthrough such a register; Fig. 3 is a section taken onthe line 3-3 of Fig. 2, with the shield in its lowered position;

Fig. l is a detail sectional viev.7 on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2; fand' Fig. `5 isj a detail view ofA the means for'oontrollingt-he movement of the shield supporting membersand the closure devices. i

In these drawings. I have illustrated oneembodiment of my inventionand have shownthe.

same as applied-to a hot air register which'coinprises a housing 6 adapted to'be mountedinl the y, Upper end rof a hot alrduet 7. This housing is preferably of sheet metal andhas at its, upperV end an outwardly extending flange 8 tofoverliei 4.5.. the floor 9, at the top of the airductvandsup" port the housing thereon:u Arranged above the I housing isa grille 16 which is supported at its edges onthe floor and is provided in the lower surface of its marginal portions with grooves 11 to receive the flanges 8 of the housing.. ThisV grille is provided near one end with atransverse slot 12.of a length substantially equal to theA width of the housing and is further provided housing 6 below thevgrille l0.

near its lateral edges with longitudinal slots `13Y extending forsomewhat morethan half the length of the grille and communicating with the transverse slot 12.

The rear end of the grille,. -f

between the longitudinal slots 13, is supported by Y vmeans oflugs 14 depending therefrom and lrest-v ing uponatransverse bearing 15 rigidly mount.;V

ed Yin the side walls ofthe housing. 'In the pres y ent construction, where the youter portions of the grille overhang the flanges of the housing, the slots are formed in the body oi the grille but it will be obvious that the slots may be arranged toaccorninodate the same to ydifferent,arrangements of the-grille and of thehousing. y,

Mounted on the housing for -v movement tl'noughv the transverse slot 12 is a shield l5 of such a character that it may movedl into an upwardly' and forwardly curvedpositionabove the rear `portion ofthe grille, where it will eX- tend between `the V'register and a walladjacenttothe rear end of the register and which mayk Vbe moved into a position below the grille .in

which it will extend across rthe housing and close they air duct 7. Preferahlythis shieldv is lof a exible character which will permitsit to.

assume difierent shapes when itv is positioned above or below the grille. -As here shown, lit comprises a plurality of strips 1'7A extending transversely to the lshield and arrangedledge to edgeA and exibly connected one to the other. Thesel strips are preferably of thin sheet! metal and are connectedl onejtothe other by means of. wires 18` extending across the several strips,

on the inner surfaces thereof, and secured theretoby means of clips 19. As here shown, these4 clips are in the form'of short loops of ymetal struck inwardly from thekrrespective strips.

and through rwhich the wire' extends. The outer endfof. .the fiexible-shield is supported by suit-y able supporting members here shown as barsV or plates 20 pivotally` mounted onstuds 21 exe, tending inwardlyA from the sidewalls of the ingv bars extend through .the longitudinal slots land are-rigidly secured at their outer ends .to the foremost ystripl 17'. of the Y shield. This.

foremost strip preferablyhas its/forward yedge curved vdownwardly and rearwardly, as shown tion when ity is moved to itslowerrnost. oreut-` y These support. Y

Suitable guides lare arranged within the hou'sing to guide the shield into fthe desired posilos olf position. "in the present construction these guides .are in the form vofkrods 23 rigidly mounted Within thehousing adjacent'to the respec-k tive sides` thereof and having 'their rear, ends curved upwardly, asl shownat' 24,' .andstermie rno nating below and adjacent to the transverse slot 13. The several strips constituting the shield have their end portions curved inwardly,A

as shown at 25, to embrace the guide rods 23. The length of the shield is such that when in its extended position, above the grille, with the supporting members in substantially vertical positions,a portion of the shield will remain beneath the grille and in supporting engagement with the curved ends 24 of the guide rods. The guide rods are straight and substantially horizontal for the greater portion of their length and when rearward pressure is applied to the forward end of the shield it will slide downwardly and be guided along the rods 23 to a substantially horizontal position within the housing and spaced a relatively short distance below the grille, thus enabling the housing to be of relatively shallow depth.

Collapsible closures are provided to close the space between the side portions of the shield,

rwhenin its extended position, and t1 e grille.

As here shown, each of these closures-comprises a plurality of plates 26, pivotally supported on the housing and so arranged that they may be moved into substantially parallel positions below the surface of the grille or into extended positions in which they will close the spaces at the sides oi the shield. In the present con-1 struction, the plates 26 of each closure are pivotally mounted on the studs 2l which carry the shield supporting members 20 and the outer ends of the plates overlap the inwardly bent portions or flanges of the several sections of the shield. Preferably the several plates are tapered from their outer ends toward their axes and have approximately the shape oi sectors. The movement of these closure plates to their collapsed or extended positions is controlled by the movement of the shield as a whole and, in the form here shown, the supporting bars 2l)l have inwardly extending flanges 27 which overlap the edges of the several plates of the adjacent closure so that when the shield and supporting members are moved rearwardly and downwardly these flanges will successively engage the edges of the several closure plates and will cause these to move downwardly into folded positions. Each closure plate has a part 28 extending below its axis and arranged in the path of the lower portion of the flange 27 of the adjacent shield supporting bar so that when the supporting bars and shield are moved upwardly and forwardly the lower portions of the ilanges 27 will engage parts 28 of the closure plates and cause these plates to move with the shield to their extended positions. The parts 28 of the several plates of each closure are of different widths and are so arranged that they will be engaged successively by the flange 27 and the several closure pla'es will be succese sively actuated and will be moved different distances, the arrangement preferably being such that the adjacent edges ci the plates will slightly overlap when in their extended positions. Each of the closure plates 25 has at or near the outer end of its forward edge a cut-away portion or recess 27a to receive the inturned edge 22 of the foremost plate 17 and thus permit the several closure plates and the supporting bars 2() to be moved into parallel positions in which they willbe compactly arranged, 'the upper edges of these plates and bars, when in their collapsed position, being adjacent to or just below the surface of 'the grille.V I-have also shown light vsprings 29 mounted in the housing and engaging the innermost plate 26 of each closure to press the same outwardly and, because of the overlapping arrangement of the several plates, to press each inner plate toward the succeeding outer plate, thus retaining the Aplates in snug contact one with the other. Y

Any suitable means may be provided for retaining the shield in adjusted positions. In the present construction, each supporting bar 27 has a sector shaped portion 50 projecting below its axis and provided near its forward edge with an opening 3l. Rigidiy mounted in the housing adjacent to the segmental part 30 of each supporting bar is aY pair of resilient fingers 32 which embrace the segmental part of the bar and are here shown as provided with opposed indentations 33 which firmly grip the segment and retard its movement in either direction, the gripping action being sufficient to hold the shield in any position to which it may be moved. When the shield is moved to its foremost position the openingsV 31 in vthe segments 30 are brought into yline with the indentations 33 and these indentations enter the respective openings, thus providing .a very firm lock to hold the shield in its foremost position but which will yield under pressure Yto release the shield for rearward movement. To prevent the shield from being moved too far forward and the openings 3l carried past the indentations 33 the inner finger of each. pair is provided with a 34. arranged in the path of the lower end the nange 27 of the adjacent supporting bar and so positioned that it will be engaged lby that flange when that bar is moved to itsrforemost position.

In order to prevent Vany tendency of `the shield to buckle when `it is moved rearwardly and to cause the same to move smoothly along the guide rods I have connected a spring with the lower portion or the shield, wit in the housing, which is so arranged that it tends to move the lower portion ofthe shield toward that end of ther housing opposite the transverse slot 12. In the present cons "ucticn, this spring is in the form of` clock. spring 35 coiled about a stud ori-od 35 at the forwardend vof the housing extending rearwardly along the guide rods 23 and secured at its free end to one of the lower sections of the shield. Consequently thisl spring at all timesfexerts a rearward action on the lowerf'portion of rthe shield.

which prevents the' same :from binding' on the guide rods and eliminates any tendency of the shield to buckle.

` While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention I wish. it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details thereof as variousv modifications may occur to `a person skilled in the art.

Having now fully .described my invention, what I claiml as new ari-ildesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a hot air register, a grille, a flexible shield mounted for movement into anextended position above said grille with its forward edge` il() I from' therear edge 'of said grille; and yinto a position below said grille, and av guide engaging.

- assume a substantially ilat position beneath said 3. In. a, hot air register,` a housing, va grille having a slotnear one end thereof,l aflexible.A

shield :movable through saidY slot, f f movable meansjforisu'pporting said shield inan extended ismovedfto a positionaboveV said grille.

10. \In a hot, air registen; a. housing, Vav grillev position with its upper'endf above an intermediate portionof said grille, and means for exing said shield as itis moved downwardly' throughsaid slot and to guide the majorportion'thereof into `a substantially ilatl position across said housing below said-grille. .4. Inga -hotj air register, a housing, a grill having; aslot near. one end thereof,. a 1lexible shield .movablethrough said slot to positions f above and` below said grille, 1and `supporting members pivotally imountedon said` housing at points spaced from said slot and having s upporting lconnection with the outer end of said shield.. l

1 5. InY a het air register, a housing, a grille having aslotnear one end thereof, guides arranged beloW said grille, a flexible shield' slidably supported `on said guides for movement throughV said slot, and .supporting members piv` otally supported on saidghousing at points spaced from said slot and ,j having supporting connec- V tion'with. the outer: end of said shield.. Y

6. In a hot air` register, a housing, ya grille having a slot near one end thereof, guides are ranged in substantially horizontal positions be-` neath said grille'and having vthose ends-adja- 'cent to e said slot curved. upwardly,A a flexible shield slidably mounted on said guides for movementthrough 'said slot, and bars pivotally mounted at the respective sides of said housing at points spaced from said slot and having supl' porting connection with the outer endY of saidY shield.

7. In a hot air; register, a housing,rand a grille having a transverse slot at one end thereof and longitudinal slots at the sides thereof,v guide rods extending lengthwise of said housing -beneath said grille, a shield comprising a plu- .rality of parallel strips flexibly connected one to the other, each strip having its ends bent inwardly to embrace said guide rods, said shield being movablek through the transverse slot in said grille, supporting members Ypivotally mounted at the respective sides of saidhousing..

extending through the respective longitudinal slots and having supporting connection. withv the outer end of said shield.

8. In a hot air register, a housing, a grille having la slot near one end thereof,v a exible lshield movable through said slot, means for supporting said shield in an extended position.

with its upper end above an intermediate portion of said grille, said supporting means vbeing `movable to permit said shield to be moved to va position beneath said grille, anda collapsible closure mounted on said housing on each side'- of'said shield for movement into *a` positionl to close the space between said 'grille and said shield when the latter is in its extended posi.-

having a slot near one end thereof, a iiexible shield movable through said Vslot to positions above and below said grille,supportingmembers pivotallymounted onsaid housing at points spaced from said slot and having supporting connection with the -outer end of said shield, and a pluralityA of plates pivotally mounted onsaid housing ate each side of said shieldfor 'movement into Asubstantially. parallel positions beneathsaidgrillewhen said shield is moved to a positionbeneath said grille and ,for movement intoxextendedy positionswto close thel space. between the grille and the shield when thelatter having fa slotfnearone .endthereof, a flexible plates and said.y supporting niembershaving Vshield movable `through said slot to position above and below saidgrille, supporting members pivotally mounted'on saidY housing at points spaced -from saidslotv and having supporting parts cooperating .to impart' said movements vto said plates.:v v.

e l1. In afhot airfregisterra housinga vgrille havingaslot: near one end thereof, aflexible shield-movable through said .slot to positions above and belowsaid grille, supporting members pivotally" vmounted on said housing' at points lspaced from said' lslot and having supporting connection, with theouter en d. ofsaid shield, v

said supporting. members v having laterally extending parts, and a plurality ofv plates pivot` ally mguntedat eachside of -said `shield on 'the Y t axesof the respective supporting members and having, parts arranged on the respective sides of their axes for engagement with said laterally extendingparts of said supportingmembers to cause said plates to move With said supporting members.

12. In a. hot air register, a housing, a grille having a slotv near one end thereof, a flexibleshield movable, through said. slotr to'positions` Vabove and belowr'said grille, supporting members .pivotally mounted on said housing at points spaced vfrom said slot and having supporting connection with the outer end of said shield, said supporting members having laterally extending parts, and a plurality of plates pivotally mounted at each side ofsaid shield on the axes of the respectivesupporting membersand having parts arranged on the respective sides of their axes for engagement with' said laterally extending parts o-f said supporting members to cause said plates' to move with said supporting members, the corresponding parts of' said plates being so arranged that they will be ,engaged one after the other by the supporting members and the several" plates at each side of saidy shieldwill be successively actuated. n'

13. In a lhot a1r register, a housing, a grille 'having a slot near'one end thereof, a riiexible shield movable throughv said slot to positions yabove andY below said grille and 'having inwardly extending flanges at the respective sides there of, a plurality of plates pivotally mounted on a common axis at each side of said shield for movement intosubstantially parallel positions below saidV grille and into extended 'positions vabove saidgille, the outer ends of said plates overlapping the flanges on the respective sides Lof said shield, and springs acting on the innermost plates to press the inner plates toward the outer plates.

14. In a hot air register, a housing, a. grille having a slot near one end thereof, a flexible shield movable through saidV slot to positions above and below said grille, supporting members pivotally mounted on said housing at points spaced from saidy slot and having supporting connection with the outer end of said shield, said supporting members having parts extending inwardly beyond their axes, and devices frictionally engaging said lparts to hold said supportingY members in the positions to which they have been moved.

15. In a hot air register, a housing, a grille having a slot near one end thereof, a flexible shield movable through said slot to positions above and below said grille, supporting members pivotally mounted on said housing at points spaced from said slot and having supporting connection with the outer end of said shield, said supporting members having parts extending inwardly beyond the axes thereof and provided with openings, a vpair of resilient fingers embracing each of said parts and having opposed indentations to enter said openings and retain said supporting members in the positions to which they have been moved.

16. In a hot air register, a housing, a grill having a slot near one end thereof, and a flexible shield movable through said slot to positions above and'beloW-said grille and comprising a plurality of parallel strips arranged edge to edge, and wires extending across and secured to the several strips to flexibly connect said strips one to the other.

17. In a hot air register, a housing, a grille having a slot near one end thereof, and ashield movable through said slot to positions above and below said grille and comprising a vplurality of parallel strips arranged edge to edge, flexibly connected one tothe other, and ra spring arranged beneath said grill andacting on one of said strips to move the same toward that end of said housing opposite said slot.

18. In a hot air register, a housing, a grille having a transverse slot near one end thereof, and having longitudinal slots near the respective sides thereof and connected with said transverse slots, a supporting member mounted in said housing. below said grille,` lugs dependingfrom said grille near said transverse slot and engaging said supporting member, a flexible shield movable through said transverse slot to positions above and below said grille, and supporting members pivotally mounted on said housing, extending through the` respective longitudinal slots and having lsupporting connection with said shield. n

19. In a hot air register, a grille, a flexible shield mounted for movement into positions above and below said grille, and guiding means for so controlling the movements of said flexibley shield that it will assume one shape when positioned above said grille and will assume a different shape when positioned below said grille.A

20. In a hot air register, a grille, a flexible shield mounted for movement into positions above and below said grille, pivoted supporting means connected with the forward portion of said shield to support the same in a curved position above said grille, and guiding means arranged below said grille to guide said shield to a substantially flat position below'said grille.

WILLIAM A. WIESMAN. 

